The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-02-03

Frz. ~ 81 =
morseful. sa
II only meant you don't even know their
names" a Hs& -
1That wasn't necessary for giving than
he'd and bandages. Do you suppose the good
Samaritan ever asked the wounded Jews
name, and that the Levite did not excuse
himself because the thieves had taken the
poor mans card casea Do the directions, In
case of ACCIDENT in your ambulance rules,
read: First lay the sufferer on his back and
inquire his name and family connections'l
Besides, you can call one Ned and the other
George if you like"
aOh, you know what I mean,r said Kate,
irrelevantly. (which is Georgea" a"' .
1George is the wounded man." said Mrs.
Hale; mot the one who talked to you more
than he did to any one else. I suppose the
poor man was frightened and read dismissal
in your eyes"
II wish John were here.D
II don't think we have anything to fear in
his absence from men whose only wish is to
get;sweg from u.s. If it is question of pro-
priety, my dear Kate, surely there is the
presence of mother to prevent any scandal
although really her own conduct with the
wounded one is not above suspicion" she
added, with that novel mischevousness that
seemed return of her lost girlhood. ave
must try to do the best we can with them and
for them,n she said decidedly, "and mean
time I'll SEQ if can't arrange Johns room
for them" ,.... s-..
"John's rooms'
"Oh, mother is perfectly satisfied; indeed,
suggested it. It's larger and will hold two
beds, for Ned the friend, must attend to
him at night. And, Kate, don't you think,
if You're not going out again, You might
change your costume? 1t does very we'll
whilo we are alone "-
"Well," said Kate Indignantly, "as I am
not going into his room I'D.
"1'm not SO sure about that, if We can't get
a regular doctor. But he is very restless,
and wanders all over the house like tirnid
and apologetic spaniel" ---- 3D.
"WhoY' -- ...
"Why Ned But must 60 and look after
tho patient. I suppose they've got him safe
ter she tripped up stairs.
Uncomfortable and embarrassed, she knew
not why, Kate sought her mother But that
good lady was already in attendance on the
patient, and Kate hurried past that baleful
center of attraction with feeling of loneli-
ness and strangeness she had never expe-
rienced before. Entering her own room she
went to the window-that first and last ref
uge of the troubled midland gazed out
Turning her eyes in the direction of her
mornings walk, she started back with a sense
of being dazzled. She rubbed first her eyes
and then the rain-dimmed pane. 1t was no
illusion! The Whole landscape, so familiar to
her, was one vast field of dead, colorless
white! Trees, rocks, even distance itself, had
vanished in those few hours. An even,
shadowless, motionless white sea filled the
horizon. On either side vast wall of snow
seemed to shut out the world like shroud.
Only the green plateau before her, with its
sloping meadows and fringes Of pines and
cottonwood, lay alone like summer island
in this frozen sea. -.... ...-y.-. -. q
A sudden desire to view this phenomenon
more closely, and to learn for herself the
limits of this new tethered life, completely
possessed her, and, accustomed to act upon
her Independent impulses, she seized hooded
waterproof cloak and slipped out of the house
unperceived. The rain was falling steadily
along the descending trail where she walked,
but beyond, scarcely a mile across the chasm,
the wintry distance began to confuse her
brain with tho inextricable swarming of
snow. Hurrying down with feverish excite
ment, she at last came in sight of the arching
glance through the gateway showed it closed
as if with white portcullis. Kate remem-
bered that the trail began to ascend beyond
the arch, and knew that what. she saw was
only the mountain side she had partly climbed
this morning. But the snow had crept down
its flank, and the exit by trail was prac-
tically closed. Breathlessly making her way
back to the highest part of the plateau-the
cliff behind the house that here descended abb
rupt1y to the rain-dimmcd valley-sho gazed
at the dizzy depths in vain for some undiscov-
cred or forgotten trail along its face. But
single glance convinced her of its inacces-
sibility. The gateway was indeed their only
outlet to the plain below. She looked back
at the falling snow beyond until she fancied
she could see in the crossing and recrossing
lines the moving meshes of Hateful web
woven around them. by viewless but mex
orable fingers.
Half frightened, she was turning away;
when she perceived, few PAGES distant, the
figure of the stranger, @Ned, also apparently
absorbed in the gloomy prospect. He was
wrapped in the clinging folds of black
serape braided with silver; the broad flap of
slouched hat beaten back by the wind ex-
posed the dark, glistening curls on his white
forehead. He was certainly very handsome
and picturesque, and that apparently without
effort or consciousness. Neither was there
anything in his costume or appearance In
consistent with his surroundings, or even
with what Kate could judge were his habits
or position. Never heless she instantly de-
cided that he was too handsome and too pic
turesque, without suspecting that her ideas
of the limits of masculine beauty were merely
personal experience.
As he turned away from the cliff they were
brought face to face. at doesn't look very
encouraging over there" he said, quietly, as
IL the inevitableness of the situation had re
Heved him of his previous shyness and effort;
Git's even worse than expected. The snow
must have begun there last night, and it
looks as If it meant to stay He stopped for
moment, and then. lifting his eyes to her,
said: II suppose you know what this meansp
u don't understand you"
u thought not. Welt it means that you
are absolutely cut off here from any commu-
nication or intercourse with any one outside
of that canyon. By this time the snow Is five
feet deep over the only trail by which one
can pass in and ont of that gateway. am
not alarming you. hope, for there is no real
physical danger; place like this ought to
be well garrisoned, and certainly is selfsup-
porting so far as the mere necessities and
even comforts are concerned. You have
wood, water, cattle and game at your COM
mand, but for two weeks at least you are,
completely isolated.p
1For two weeks, said Kate, growing pale
aand my brotherr
aI4a kuoxx-o oIl bv ff,;s time md e. rrrf,-